Hygienic toothbrushing method

Abstract

A method for sanitizing a toothbrush using a receptacle having a plurality of openings, a plurality of toothbrushes to be removably retained in the receptacle, where the toothbrushes are arranged for each cycle of use so that a dry toothbrush is always available for use and replaced after use within the receptacle in a different arrangement from the rest and allowed to be dried for a sufficient period to kill and prevent bacterial proliferation prior to its reuse in a subsequent cycle of use.

1. A method of sanitizing a toothbrush comprising:
 providing a receptacle with a plurality of openings; 
 placing a plurality of toothbrushes for a user within the receptacle, each of the plurality of toothbrushes received by at least one of the plurality of openings to removably retain each of the plurality of toothbrushes within the receptacle; and 
 arranging the plurality of toothbrushes within the receptacle at the beginning of a cycle of use, the arrangement having a first toothbrush which is dry for use; 
 selecting the first toothbrush for use to begin a cycle of use; and 
 replacing the first toothbrush into the receptacle in a different arrangement from the rest and allowing said toothbrush to be dried before its reuse at the beginning a subsequent cycle of use. 
 
     
     
       2. The method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising sequentially selecting and using each one of said plurality of toothbrushes subsequent to use of said first toothbrush during said cycle of use; and
 replacing each one of said plurality of toothbrushes into the receptacle in the same arrangement as said first toothbrush and allowing said toothbrush to be dried before its reuse at the beginning a subsequent cycle of use. 
 
     
     
       3. The method in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein each one of said plurality of toothbrushes is allowed to dry a sufficient amount of time to prevent proliferation of bacteria on said plurality of toothbrushes prior to their next use. 
     
     
       4. The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said first toothbrush is allowed to dry a sufficient amount of time to prevent proliferation of bacteria on said first toothbrush prior to its next use. 
     
     
       5. The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle has a front defining a first substantially vertical plane, a back defining a second substantially vertical plane substantially parallel to the first plane, the front and the back having a plurality of openings, and at least one wall defining a third plane substantially perpendicular to the first and second planes, extending from the front to the back. 
     
     
       6. The method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of toothbrushes is received by both one of the plurality of openings of the front and one of the plurality of openings of the back. 
     
     
       7. The method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at any given time at least one of the pluralities of toothbrushes is dry for use to brush teeth. 
     
     
       8. The method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising arranging each of the plurality of toothbrushes in a row along a length of the receptacle at the beginning of each cycle of use, wherein during each cycle of use, each toothbrush removed for use is replaced within the receptacle in an at least one opening that is not within the row so as to distinguish between used and unused toothbrushes within a cycle. 
     
     
       9. The method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising arranging each of the plurality of toothbrushes in a consistent orientation within the receptacle at the beginning of each cycle of use, wherein during each cycle of use, each of the plurality of toothbrushes removed for use is replaced within the receptacle in a different orientation from the remaining unused toothbrushes so as to distinguish between used and unused toothbrushes within a cycle. 
     
     
       10. A method of preventing bacterial proliferation on a toothbrush, comprising:
 providing a receptacle with a plurality of openings; 
 placing a plurality of toothbrushes for a user within the receptacle, each of the plurality of toothbrushes received by at least one of the plurality of openings to removably retain each of the plurality of toothbrushes within the receptacle; and 
 arranging the plurality of toothbrushes within the receptacle at the beginning of a cycle of use, the arrangement having a first toothbrush which is dry for use; 
 selecting the first toothbrush for use to begin a cycle of use; and 
 replacing the first toothbrush into the receptacle in a different arrangement from the rest so as to allow it to fully dry before its reuse in a subsequent cycle. 
 
     
     
       11. The method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising sequentially selecting and using each one of said plurality of toothbrushes subsequent to use of said first toothbrush during said cycle of use; and
 replacing each one of said plurality of toothbrushes into the receptacle in the same arrangement as said first toothbrush and allowing said toothbrush to be dried before its reuse at the beginning a subsequent cycle of use. 
 
     
     
       12. The method in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein each one of said plurality of toothbrushes is allowed to dry a sufficient amount of time to prevent accumulation of bacteria on said plurality of toothbrushes prior to their next use. 
     
     
       13. The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein said first toothbrush is allowed to dry a sufficient amount of time to prevent accumulation of bacteria on said first toothbrush prior to its next use. 
     
     
       14. The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the receptacle has a front defining a first substantially vertical plane, a back defining a second substantially vertical plane substantially parallel to the first plane, the front and the back having a plurality of openings, and at least one wall defining a third plane substantially perpendicular to the first and second planes, extending from the front to the back. 
     
     
       15. The method in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of toothbrushes is received by both one of the plurality of openings of the front and one of the plurality of openings of the back. 
     
     
       16. The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein at any given time at least one of the pluralities of toothbrushes is dry for use to brush teeth. 
     
     
       17. The method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising arranging each of the plurality of toothbrushes in a row along a length of the receptacle at the beginning of each cycle of use, wherein during each cycle of use, each toothbrush removed for use is replaced within the receptacle in an at least one opening that is not within the row so as to distinguish between used and unused toothbrushes within a cycle. 
     
     
       18. The method in accordance with  claim 10 , comprising arranging each of the plurality of toothbrushes in a consistent orientation within the receptacle at the beginning of each cycle of use, wherein during each cycle of use, each of the plurality of toothbrushes removed for use is replaced within the receptacle in a different orientation from the remaining unused toothbrushes so as to distinguish between used and unused toothbrushes within a cycle. 
     
     
       19. A method of preventing bacterial proliferation on a toothbrush, comprising:
 providing a receptacle with a plurality of openings, wherein the receptacle has a front defining a first substantially vertical plane, a back defining a second substantially vertical plane substantially parallel to the first plane, the front and the back having a plurality of openings, and at least one wall defining a third plane substantially perpendicular to the first and second planes, extending from the front to the back; 
 placing a plurality of toothbrushes for a user within the receptacle, each of the plurality of toothbrushes received by at least one of the plurality of openings to removably retain each of the plurality of toothbrushes within the receptacle; and 
 said plurality of toothbrushes being arranged in a cycle of use, each toothbrush in said cycle of use having been most recently used at a different time, and each toothbrush being oriented according to its most recent use in a current or a prior cycle of use, said cycle of use being sized to permit each toothbrush therein to dry to prevent accumulation of bacteria thereon prior to the next use thereof.